Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to exercise machines. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a fitness bar catch mechanism for safely retaining a fitness bar on a support frame of an exercise machine while allowing for easy adjustability of the fitness bar catch.
Description of Related Art
Many weightlifting exercises require a fitness bar to be positioned above the ground before the user can begin the exercise routine. Additionally, a user must have a place to rest the fitness bar upon completion of the exercise routine. The proper positioning of the fitness bar is typically achieved by placing the fitness bar on bar catches which are part of a support frame system in the exercise machine. While many configurations of the support frame system are known in the art, there is often a compromise between the ease of adjustability of the bar catches and how securely each bar catch attaches to the support frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,337,370 to Rogers et al. (“Rogers”), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety, discloses a fitness bar catch having studs which engage slots on opposite sides of a vertical support member. Rogers also discloses a trigger-actuated safety pin which extends from the bar catch through an aperture in the support member.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,416 to Smith (“Smith”), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety, discloses a fitness bar catch which slides along a vertical support member and has a tab which engages slots on a front face of the support member.
U.S. Pat. No. 444,827 to Mobley (“Mobley”), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety, discloses a fitness bar catch having a pair of vertically aligned studs which engage a corresponding pair of slots in a vertical support member.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0200117 to Grider (“Grider”), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety, discloses a fitness bar catch similar to Smith in that it slides coaxially along a vertical support member and cannot be moved from the side of the vertical support member.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,044,643 to Staten et al. (“Staten”), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety, discloses a fitness bar similar to Rogers in that it relies on opposing studs which engage corresponding slots in a vertical support member. Staten also discloses a safety latch which is integral to a central plate of the bar catch.
Conventional fitness bar catches either provide secure attachment to the support frame at the expense of adjustability, or are readily adjustable but prone to inadvertently detaching from the support frame. Such detachment could leave the user without a place to safely rest the fitness bar upon completion of an exercise routine. Therefore, there is a current need in the art for a fitness bar catch mechanism that provides secure attachment to a support frame and efficient adjustability.